Sharp C1 set sells for 2.25 million yen (~20k USD)

Started by UglyJoe, April 21, 2021, 08:10:03 pm

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UglyJoe

Japanese article that breaks it down:

https://famicoms.net/blog-entry-3725.html

It's basically a boxed Sharp C1 ("Famicom TV") with some rare accessories.

It includes a Playbox BASIC and Sharp's version of the Family BASIC keyboard (which I didn't know even existed!).

It also includes the "AN-300SL", which is looks like something that you can plug into the expansion port to get stereo audio output, but is especially rare (possibly the first time ever seen on Yahoo Auctions Japan).

Cool stuff!

senseiman

Oh wow, that is really interesting, I've never seen some of that stuff either.

Prices for rare stuff like that have been exploding on Yahoo Auctions recently, a Lot Lot silver members sticker just sold for 251,000 Yen earlier this week.

Sho

Holy shit, why!?  I just saw a busted Sharp C1 set go for 800 USD.... I'm regretting not buying it now haha.

portnoyd

It very well could be bleed over from the huge spike US game collecting is seeing. Prices are completely absurd. I wouldn't be surprised if some Americans took their irrational exuberance and aimed it at Japan.

senseiman

Quote from: portnoyd on April 23, 2021, 08:43:09 pmIt very well could be bleed over from the huge spike US game collecting is seeing. Prices are completely absurd. I wouldn't be surprised if some Americans took their irrational exuberance and aimed it at Japan.
I think so. New in box copies of Super Mario Bros have gone insane since that NES one went for like half a million.

They are selling for thousands of dollars each (saw one sell for more than 500,000 Yen a couple weeks back) now. Which is insane since even NIB copies aren't too rare, they are constantly showing up for auction. Its just the hype from that American sale that is driving it I think.

P

Heh, SMB is like the most common game for the system with 40 millions sold worldwide. Making me glad that I got my NIB SMB copy years ago when it was cheap. Though I'm not sure if you can confirm a Famicom game to be NIB since they aren't sealed. Mine looked completely untouched though, and the pins was still in perfect condition. Good enough for me since I intended to play it.

I've noticed that retro games in general have become expensive again. A few years ago they were very cheap and you could find all kinds of stuff very easily and for good prices, even on ebay. I guess it's partly because of the pandemic.

fcgamer

I know some American folks are trying to snap up Japanese stuff for the whole wata bullshit train, though I personally think if we don't buy in to it, eventually they'll lose interest and it'll go away.

Famicom wasn't iconic in the states, lol.
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portnoyd

Quote from: P on April 24, 2021, 05:20:11 amHeh, SMB is like the most common game for the system with 40 millions sold worldwide. Making me glad that I got my NIB SMB copy years ago when it was cheap. Though I'm not sure if you can confirm a Famicom game to be NIB since they aren't sealed. Mine looked completely untouched though, and the pins was still in perfect condition. Good enough for me since I intended to play it.

I've noticed that retro games in general have become expensive again. A few years ago they were very cheap and you could find all kinds of stuff very easily and for good prices, even on ebay. I guess it's partly because of the pandemic.

It's mostly the pandemic, partly just a general increase in value in older games. People staying in, couldn't go out, looking for things to do indoors... older games. Then the free money in the US came three times and as much as many people needed it, a lot of people didn't so they blew it on older games.

The whole SMB1 thing is laughable. The people buying for six figures were sold a shitty bill of goods by Heritage Auctions, hooking in comic book collectors by making a pitch they could understand and latch onto - specifically that NES SMB1 was "the first appearance" of Mario, which we know isn't the case. And then there's the whole thing where that "first" appearance was sold in an era where people stopped throwing away everything and started becoming collectible and SMB1 was printed in the millions (as opposed to an Action Comics #1 which was largely tossed after reading and few survived, versus millions of those SMB1 carts surviving). It's a sham, but thankfully so above most gamers and collectors heads, that it mostly won't affect us - the people who are sucked into this are not buying the same games you and I do.

senseiman

The price of SMB for the Famicom is just insane. They made about 6 million of them and a lot are still out there new in box (I believe that insane NES copy was from a rare printing or something?)

I do regret not having bought a bunch of new copies for like 30 bucks each like I could have a few years ago. Oh the money one could make off the suckers.

Sho

Quote from: portnoyd on April 24, 2021, 10:38:17 am
Quote from: P on April 24, 2021, 05:20:11 amHeh, SMB is like the most common game for the system with 40 millions sold worldwide. Making me glad that I got my NIB SMB copy years ago when it was cheap. Though I'm not sure if you can confirm a Famicom game to be NIB since they aren't sealed. Mine looked completely untouched though, and the pins was still in perfect condition. Good enough for me since I intended to play it.

I've noticed that retro games in general have become expensive again. A few years ago they were very cheap and you could find all kinds of stuff very easily and for good prices, even on ebay. I guess it's partly because of the pandemic.

It's mostly the pandemic, partly just a general increase in value in older games. People staying in, couldn't go out, looking for things to do indoors... older games. Then the free money in the US came three times and as much as many people needed it, a lot of people didn't so they blew it on older games.

The whole SMB1 thing is laughable. The people buying for six figures were sold a shitty bill of goods by Heritage Auctions, hooking in comic book collectors by making a pitch they could understand and latch onto - specifically that NES SMB1 was "the first appearance" of Mario, which we know isn't the case. And then there's the whole thing where that "first" appearance was sold in an era where people stopped throwing away everything and started becoming collectible and SMB1 was printed in the millions (as opposed to an Action Comics #1 which was largely tossed after reading and few survived, versus millions of those SMB1 carts surviving). It's a sham, but thankfully so above most gamers and collectors heads, that it mostly won't affect us - the people who are sucked into this are not buying the same games you and I do.

Knowing this is what has kept me sane and happy during some of these insane game sales that I see going on every single day.  Collecting these "first print" CIB runs is completely different from collecting CIB and loose.  Some prices are so insane they may as well be compared to collecting art pieces at this point.  Has absolutely nothing to do with general collecting.  Just how it should be, I think. 

I'm almost certain at the end of the day these graded games will hold no value overall aside from a few iconic titles.